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Home > Travel China > China Attractions > Niujie Mosque
Niujie Mosque
China, an East Asian country is one of the world’s oldest civilizations. It has a vast cultural history of more than five thousand years and an outstanding natural beauty. On the other hand, this country has remained a comparatively isolated and secluded one, and being a land of mystery, this country is not known to the western half of the world. However, China is rapidly developing and has grown in the phase of modernization, with an immense speed and is also welcoming the outer world to interact and do business with them.
The Niujie that means Ox Street Mosque in Beijing's Xuanwu District is the religious centre for the ten thousand Muslims living in the surrounding area and is the biggest and oldest mosque in Beijing. This mosque is a combination of Islamic and Chinese cultures. The outer side shows the Chinese sway while the inner side decoration is rich in Islamic flavor. It was founded in 996 during the Song Dynasty.
The mosque consists of a prayer hall, observation tower and minaret with a porch on each side. The observation tower was built for astronomical observations required for drawing up the Islamic calendar. The prayer hall consists of five major areas. The three central areas, running lengthwise, are divided into five bays, some narrow with coffered ceilings, and some wide with high-beam ceilings.
Also, the minaret meaning the calling tower, a two-storey obelisk in the centre of the courtyard, was formerly built as script depository. On the ground floor there is a huge copper cauldron, which was used to prepare public meals. In the Imam's library, there are Koran manuscripts and ancient wooden printing blocks. The mosque used to be a printing house too. At the south of the courtyard are the men's as well as women's prayer-preparation bathrooms.
The Niujie Mosque is definitely one of the popular tourist attractions in China. It is worth paying a visit while touring the country. This place will leave a pleasing and unforgettable memory and justify the proud cultural tradition of China.
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